Prelude

The inspiration to write a book on the issue of femicide in India came to me when my former fiancé (a Kashmiri Indian) was forced by his parents to break off our engagement. I knew that our story was not unique; while in India I met several others who told me they were forbidden to marry the person they were in love with. In my quest to understand this phenomenon, I began to research arranged marriage.

Opening the door to that investigation unleashed an ugly world of stories. Dowry death, bride burning, female foeticide and infanticide, a genocide of the Indian female population. One article after another of disturbing accounts: parents who kill their daughters – in utero or shortly after birth – to avoid the dreaded dowry, brides set on fire for not bringing in adequate or additional dowry, some of them harassed to the point of taking their own lives.

A week after my relationship ended, I made a commitment to continue my research and write a book about my findings. I spent the next 9-10 months reading everything that I could find in preparation to return to India to gather stories. Once there, I spoke with experts working in the field, with strangers in the street, talked to friends about their experiences, and interviewed a few who were willing to share their story. I will be returning to India in January to further my research and to collect more stories.

3 Responses

No matter how educated you are and how much you name, respect n fame you earn being a women is sufficent to create hurdles in your life. Even in this century where women are exceeding in each and every field the atrocities aganist them continues. Every minute various forms and places of crime aganist them is on rise. Being a professional social work student I have seen people discriminating aganist and suppressing their daughters. I feel ashamed to see even educated people going for female infanticide, honor killing, bride burning and list is endless. The women are like species to be killed. I still wonder what women are waiting for ?
I want them to stand up and fight and teach lesson to those who consider them to be weak.

Thank you Kanu Priya Khanduri for your message and support. I too wonder what women, what humanity, is waiting for. What you say is true – irregardless of women rising in the work and economic sectors, the maltreatment continues, and will until women are seen as equals in all respects.

Thank you Kanu Priya Khanduri for your message and support. I too wonder what women, what humanity, is waiting for. What you say is true – irregardless of women rising in the work and economic sectors, the maltreatment continues, and will until women are seen as equals in all respects.